Papers by victoria thoresen
Responsible Living, 2015
Dramatic changes have characterized many decades, but the transformations of the past thirty year... more Dramatic changes have characterized many decades, but the transformations of the past thirty years have forced individuals as well as governments and businesses to question many of the choices people make and to revise existing definitions of human prosperity and happiness. Climate change, lifestyle related illnesses, and environmental degradation are growing concerns which have led to calls for greater collaboration and social justice and have fueled the search for alternative ways of living. "Development", implying unlimited material and economic growth, is no longer the panacea it once was believed to be. "Social responsibility" now encompasses a far wider set of people affected by a person's lifestyle choices than in the past. "Sufficiency", the condition where one's basic needs are met, has yet to become more equitable than minimal survival for many and luxury existence for a select few. There have been many participants in the processes of rethinking and reorienting the path humanity is following. The Partnership for Education and Research about Responsible Living (PERL) has made significant contributions. This article looks at the evolution of concepts related to sustainable development. It reflects on some of the developments within education connected to sustainable development and it examines briefly available evidence of changes in behavior. The results of this limited research and other more extensive investigations indicate that while a paradigm shift appears to be taking place, there is still a continued need for transformation of our inner lives and outer conditions in order to achieve a more dynamic coherence between the material and non-material aspects of life leading to responsible, sustainable living.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein.
Den andre internasjonale samling av samtlige deltagere i den tre-årige Comenius 2.1 prosjekt: ”Co... more Den andre internasjonale samling av samtlige deltagere i den tre-årige Comenius 2.1 prosjekt: ”Consumer education and teacher training: developing consumer citizenship” ble holdt 5-6 mai 2003 i Lisboa, Portugal. Denne rapporten beskriver innholdet og aktivitetene ved konferansen samtidig som den er en rapport om prosjektets fremdrift fra september 2002-2003. Prosjektet koordineres av Høgskolen i Hedmark med Victoria W. Thoresen som prosjektleder. Prosjektets mål er å utvikle en definisjon av ”consumer citizenship”, kartlegge i hvilke grad demokratiopplæring tar for seg relaterte problemstillinger, og utarbeide undervisningsmaterialet for lærer-utdanning innenfor feltet. I tillegg utvikler prosjektet en prototype av en rammeplan for ”Consumer citizenship education”. Landene som deltar i prosjektet er: Norge, Sverige, Island, Portugal, Lithauen, Estland, England. I året mellom forrige prosjekt konferansen og samlingen i Lisboa, arbeidet prosjekt deltakerne med å forbedre definisjonen ...
Fra 20-23 april 2002 ble det holdt en internasjonal konferanse ved Høgskolen i Hedmark der deltak... more Fra 20-23 april 2002 ble det holdt en internasjonal konferanse ved Høgskolen i Hedmark der deltakere fra 14 land fokuserte på individets rolle i det moderne samfunn, hvilke rettigheter og ansvar de har, og hvordan de kan motiveres til å være aktive, engasjerte borgere—spesielt i forhold til deres rolle som forbruker. Konferansen er en del av en tre-årig internasjonalt Comenius 2.1 prosjekt om ”Consumer education and teacher training: developing consumer citizenship” som ledes av Høgskolen i Hedmark ved prosjekt koordinator, Victoria W. Thoresen. Prosjektets mål er å finne en brukbar definisjon av ”consumer citizenship”, kartlegge i hvilke grad demokratiopplæring tar for seg forbruker relaterte problemstillinger, og utarbeide undervisings materialet for lærerutdanning innenfor feltet. I tillegg har prosjektet intensjonen om å lage en prototype av en rammeplan for ”Consumer citizenship education”. Landene som deltar i det prosjektet og som bidro aktivt på konferansen er: Norge, Sverig...
This book is a selection of the presentations given at the second Consumer Citizenship Network Co... more This book is a selection of the presentations given at the second Consumer Citizenship Network Conference, Taking Responsibility. The contents include key note speeches and papers. Not all the presentations included here have been thoroughly edited in terms of language proficiency.
The concept of consumer citizenship evolved in a period of economic growth and unsustainable cons... more The concept of consumer citizenship evolved in a period of economic growth and unsustainable consumption. The financial crisis has changed the context radically, creating a wider range of consumer circumstances. The globalized economy rests on an unlimited growth paradigm, despite warnings about unsustainability. Maintaining growth has meant living beyond available means, accumulating debt at governmental, corporate and individual consumer levels. The banking system collapsed from loss of confidence in debt repayment, producing recession and undercutting consumption. The system has accumulated excessive financial, social and environmental debt. Today consumer education must address different classes of consumers: those who can still afford the consumer society, ethically challenged by their
Page 1. Victoria W. Thoresen (ed.) Developing Consumer Citizenship Conference report Hamar, 20-23... more Page 1. Victoria W. Thoresen (ed.) Developing Consumer Citizenship Conference report Hamar, 20-23 April 2002 and Project progress report Comenius 2.1 Project 2001-2004 Consumer education and teacher training: Developing consumer citizenship Høgskolen i Hedmark ...
This book is a selection of the presentations given at the second Consumer Citizenship Network Co... more This book is a selection of the presentations given at the second Consumer Citizenship Network Conference, Catalyzing Change. The contents include some of the key note speeches and all the working papers. Not all the presentations included here have been thoroughly edited in terms of language proficiency.
Constructive Change What is meant by “constructive change”? Is it a larvae turning into a butterf... more Constructive Change What is meant by “constructive change”? Is it a larvae turning into a butterfly; a seed becoming a flower; or a drop of water being converted to electricity? These are dramatic alterations, total adjustments in the world of Nature. Transformations that take place in human society can be equally as metamorphic but often tend to be destructive. What appears to fail to function is torn down in the name of change
International Review of Education
Oases of learning which are transformative and lead to significant behavioural change can be foun... more Oases of learning which are transformative and lead to significant behavioural change can be found around the globe. Transformational learning has helped learners not only to understand what they have been taught but also to re-conceptualise and re-apply this understanding to their daily lives. Unfortunately, as many global reports indicate, inspirational transformational learning approaches for sustainable development are rare and have yet to become the norm – despite calls for such approaches by several outstanding educators and organisations. This article examines three learning approaches developed by the network of the Partnership for Education and Research about Responsible Living (PERL). These approaches are structured around core elements of transformative learning for sustainable development, yet focus particularly on the ability to care, consult with others and be creative. They seem to depend on the learners’ ability to articulate their perceptions of sustainable development in relation to their own values and to identify how these are actualised in their daily life. Together with other core elements of transformative learning, an almost magical (not precisely measurable) synergy then emerges. The intensity of this synergy appears to be directly related to the individual learner’s understanding of the contradictions, interlinkages and interdependencies of modern society. The impact of this synergy seems to be concurrent with the extent to which the learner engages in a continual learning process with those with whom he/she has contact. The findings of this study suggest that mainstreaming transformational learning for sustainable development in ways that release the “magic synergy of creative caring” can result in the emergence of individuals who are willing and able to move from “business as usual” towards more socially just, economically equitable, and environmentally sensitive behaviour.RésuméComment l’apprentissage transformationnel favorise prévenance, concertation et créativité, et contribue finalement au développement durable : enseignements du réseau Partenariat pour l’éducation et la recherche concernant un mode de vie responsable (Partnership for Education and Research about Responsible Living, PERL) – Des îlots d’apprentissage à caractère transformateur et induisant un changement notable de comportement existent dans toutes les régions du monde. L’apprentissage transformationnel aide les participants à comprendre ce qui leur est enseigné, mais aussi à reconceptualiser et à réappliquer cette connaissance dans leur vie quotidienne. Comme le signalent de nombreux rapports mondiaux, les approches éducatives de nature inspiratrice et transformationnelle en vue du développement durable sont malheureusement rares et doivent encore devenir la norme – en dépit de la demande afférente exprimée par plusieurs éminents éducateurs et organismes. Cet article examine trois approches d’apprentissage élaborées par le réseau du Partenariat pour l’éducation et la recherche concernant un mode de vie responsable (PERL). Elle sont structurées autour d’éléments essentiels de l’apprentissage transformationnel pour le développement durable, mais se concentrent en particulier sur la capacité à aider, à se concerter avec les autres et à être créatif. Ces aptitudes semblent dépendre de la capacité des apprenants à exprimer leurs perceptions du développement durable en fonction de leurs propres valeurs, et à identifier comment ces dernières se concrétisent dans leur vie quotidienne. En interaction avec d’autres éléments fondamentaux de l’apprentissage transformationnel, il apparaît alors une synergie presque magique (non mesurable avec précision). L’intensité de cette synergie semble directement reliée à la conception de l’apprenant individuel quant aux contradictions, interconnexions et interdépendances de la société moderne. L’impact de cette synergie est apparemment proportionnel à l’ampleur de l’engagement de l’apprenant dans une démarche ininterrompue d’apprentissage avec les personnes de son entourage. Les résultats de cette étude suggèrent que l’apprentissage transformationnel en vue du développement durable sous sa forme dominante, qui libère une « synergie magique de la prévenance créative» , peut induire l’émergence d’individus disposés et aptes à passer du statu quo à un comportement qui favorise la justice sociale, l’équité économique et le respect de l’environnement.
This publication provides recommendations and guidelines aimed at policy-makers and educators on ... more This publication provides recommendations and guidelines aimed at policy-makers and educators on how to best integrate and implement Education for Sustainable Consumption (ESC) - an integral component of Education for Sustainable Development - in the formal education sector. It has two chapters: a) “Addressing the challenges” illustrates the importance of ESC to policy makers and its contribution in achieving major policy goals such as environmental protection and sustainable development strategies; b) “Optimizing opportunities” is targetted to educational authorities, teacher trainers and educators to include ESC in their curricula and teaching activities.
The results of the first year of cooperation amongst the partners of the Consumer Citizenship Net... more The results of the first year of cooperation amongst the partners of the Consumer Citizenship Network are reflected in this selection of some of the papers which were presented at the first annual conference of the Consumer Citizenship Network (CCN) March 2004.
Enabling Responsible Living, 2013
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Papers by victoria thoresen